‘If You Have Evidence Against Me, Investigate Me’ — Atiku Challenges Tinubu Govt

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has challenged the Federal Government and supporters of President Bola Tinubu to investigate and prosecute him if they have evidence linking him to wrongdoing in the controversial power-sector transactions and other public assets.

Atiku, through his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, said the repeated resurfacing of allegations dating back several years was an attempt to divert attention from questions surrounding the management of government revenue following the removal of petrol subsidy.

The former vice president was reacting to renewed allegations concerning his role as chairman of the National Council on Privatisation during his tenure under former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

Atiku said he had never been invited to answer any allegation of wrongdoing arising from the power projects, despite investigations by the National Assembly.

“The National Assembly investigated the power projects. I was never invited to answer any allegation of wrongdoing,” he said.

He acknowledged that he chaired the National Council on Privatisation as vice president but insisted that he did not preside over the implementation of the controversial power project.

According to him, he disagreed with the concept of the project and said its implementation was handled by the relevant minister.

He made a similar clarification regarding the Aluminium Smelter Company of Nigeria, saying his role in the privatisation process should not be interpreted as evidence of wrongdoing.

Atiku challenged successive Nigerian governments to produce evidence if they believe he committed any offence.

“I have repeatedly asked to be investigated. I left office in 2007 and have spent much of the period since then opposing governments in power. If there is evidence that I stole public money, why has no government produced it before a court?” he asked.

The former vice president said he was prepared to face investigation and prosecution if credible evidence existed against him.

“It is still not too late. Investigate me. Invite me. Produce the evidence. Prosecute me if you have a case. But propaganda cannot substitute for evidence,” he said.

Atiku also linked the renewed allegations to his criticism of the Tinubu administration’s handling of the revenue generated following the removal of petrol subsidy.

He argued that Nigerians accepted significant economic hardship after the subsidy was removed on the understanding that the resulting savings would be redirected towards development and measures to cushion the impact on citizens.

According to Atiku, however, the cost-of-living crisis has deepened, with petrol, transportation and food prices rising while the purchasing power of Nigerian workers has weakened.

“Meanwhile, government revenues have increased, while fiscal incentives, waivers, tax credits and concessions continue to be available to powerful economic interests,” he said.

The former vice president questioned how the additional revenue generated after subsidy removal was being utilised.

“So our question remains brutally simple: WHERE IS THE PEOPLE’S MONEY?” he asked.

Atiku argued that government could not justify removing support from ordinary Nigerians on economic grounds while continuing to provide incentives and concessions to powerful businesses and economic interests.

“You cannot take relief away from the poor, celebrate the resulting revenue and then tell the same impoverished citizens that government intervention on their behalf is economically irresponsible while interventions benefiting powerful interests are called incentives,” he said.

He accused the administration and its supporters of attempting to change the subject whenever questions were raised about economic hardship and public finances.

Atiku maintained that he would not be intimidated by what he described as sponsored social-media attacks or attempts to revive unproven allegations from previous administrations.

“The people who removed subsidy from the poor cannot frighten us into silence by resurrecting allegations that governments with all the investigative machinery of the Nigerian state have had nearly two decades to establish,” he said.

The former vice president then issued a direct challenge to his critics.

“If you have evidence against Atiku, bring it. If you have a case, prosecute it. But if you have neither, stop manufacturing distractions and answer Nigerians,” he said.

Atiku’s statement ended with a renewed demand for transparency over the revenue accruing to government after the petrol subsidy was removed.

“You removed the subsidy. You collected the savings. Where is the money?” he asked.